Which One of These Guys is Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

This Friday, March 4, four Cider Mill teachers—(above, L-R) Mike Hossler, Tim Gallo, Kevin Meehan and Jason Greasley (not pictured)—will be facing off against one another in the popular Wilton Education Foundation (WEF) community fundraiser show, “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” With each of the teachers representing one of the four houses of Cider Mill (Cannondale, Kent, Belden Hill and Nod Hill) the show is a being pegged as a Battle of the Houses!

The popular event, being staged by WEF for the fifth year in a row, often sells out ahead of time. Based on the hit TV show, the spirited team-based game pits these four ‘celebrity’ contestants on stage at the Clune Center in an exciting battle of wits, helped by Cider Mill fifth graders in answering questions derived from the elementary school’s challenging curriculum. WEF’s version is a family-friendly event that incorporates Wilton-specific subject matter into the trivia, utilizing the technology the organization helps to fund for the schools, like interactive SMARTBoards and iPads, to display questions and provide responses.

In addition to the four teachers contestants, Miller-Driscoll teachers Sal Giaimo and Bryan Ennis are returning as emcees.

To qualify as a fifth grader selected to help the contestants, students interested in participating in the show sat for a qualifying exam developed by Cider Mill instructional leaders and teachers. This year, more than 80 students sat for the demanding test and the top four scorers in each house were selected as representatives.

The students who will be participating are:  Avni Gupta, Nathan Downs, Clarissa Greis, Griffin Turner, Jack Michael, Anna Joy, Saanvi Bathla, Charles Johnson, Alexa Steckel, Henry Purcell, Lukas Koutsoukos, Vihan Jayawardhane, Lucia La Orden Oro, Katherine May, James Ring, and Joshua Zheng.

Proceeds from the event support technology initiatives and teacher development. To purchase tickets, visit the WEF website. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door unless the event sells out. “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” runs this Friday, March 4, at the Clune Center from 7-9 p.m..